Christmas Cake

It's time to bake my 'famous' Christmas cake.

I've shared this recipe before in 2008 on my blog.  However, I thought it might be time to bring it back.

My family INSISTS that I don't show up for our family Christmas gathering without this cake.

I think I could forget their gifts, but not this cake.  Ha!

Here is my original post:

Several years ago while working on a company employee newsletter I came upon a cake recipe. I made it that year for Christmas. The actual recipe is called It Won't Last Cake. However, I renamed it the Christmas Cake because my dear sister has asked that it be her 'gift' every year since! My brother in law loves it too. I am posting the photo of the cake, which I will be making again this week to take to sis's house for our Christmas get together. It is easy and is like a spice cake or banana bread. Very moist and even goes great with coffee in the mornings. 

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil

3 cups white sugar (regular sugar)

1 cup crushed pineapples (with juice)

2 cups mashed bananas

1 cup chopped pecans (I usually use about 1/2 cup)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup maraschino cherries (OPTIONAL) 

Directions: 

Grease and flour a 9 or 10 inch bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together. (optional: adding one cup maraschino cherries to mixture makes a nice fruit cake.) Pour into prepared bundt pan. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees. Do not over bake.This cake is VERY moist and easy to make. I have never added the cherries. Not a big fan of fruit cake. It does bake up 'brown' due to the cinnamon and bananas. Hope you enjoy it!  It's a FAV of my family.

Menu Testing by a 3 year old

The last 2 weeks have been like a tornado.

Spinning, huge...life changing.  At least for a little while.

I had a sketch of a menu last week, in my head, not on paper.

Tossed in a tried goodie and a new recipe.

Homemade meatballs over mashed potatoes with white gravy.

I based my meatball recipe on this one, with a few variations.  Like leaving out the onions.

This is a quick, easy meal; great to toss together after work.

Plus it is KID APPROVED!  Wil loved it, even asked for seconds.

I also tried a new crockpot recipe.

Crockpot Orange-Apricot Pork Chops

Source - A Year of Slow Cooking

This recipe is a breeze to dump in the crockpot on the run out the door to work.

I omitted the cloves, as I didn't have any in the pantry.

My chops cooked to pieces, hence her photo!  However, this is now in our meal rotation.

Wil's response on his first bite - YUMMMMmmmmm.  Kid approval stamp.

Served with baked sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Great taste and the pork would melt in your mouth!

I decided this week needed more structure.  So here's my plan:

Sunday - My Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Monday - BBQ Sandwiches (pork roast cooked in crockpot)

Ranch potato wedges & slaw

Tuesday - Brunswick Stew (from leftover bbq)

Wednesday - Chicken Enchiladas with Mexican rice

Thursday - Broccoli Chicken Alfredo

Friday - Clean out the Frig

Saturday - Family Reunion (probably taking a chicken dish and dessert)

Need ideas on meal planning for your busy schedule?

Check out Organizing Junkie on Monday for tons of weekly menu plan links.

Plus I have a master list of meals HERE.

So what's for dinner?????

Soup's On!

January is National Soup Month

Did you know?

To me, there is nothing better during the cold winter months than a bowl of soup.

Pair it with cornbread, sandwiches, chips or crackers.

This is my daughter's favorite ~ Taco Soup.

I add Kidney beans to the above recipe link and use a large can of crushed tomatoes.

Taco Soup is an effortless, open the cans, recipe that packs a tasty punch.

What could be easier for a working mom?

My favorite is a simple Veggie Beef Soup.

Which is another recipe my mom used for a quick meal.

-Brown 1 lb of ground beef, drain grease.

Open cans of:

-Large can of crushed Tomatoes

-Can of diced tomatoes with spices (Basil, Garlic and Oregano)

-Veg-All

-Small Niblet Corn

-Diced potatoes

Mix, heat and eat!

If you like yours a bit more 'soupy' then you can add a can of tomato paste or juice.

I prefer the chunky mix of this soup.

Serve with pbj, grilled cheese, crackers or my favorite - cornbread!

If you have leftover veggies to mix up for this soup, it's a great way to clear out the frig.

We recently tried a new soup recipe.

Cheesy Broccoli Potato Soup

I added bacon bits to the top for a great added taste to this soup.

This recipe was simple, using items we had on hand.  Click on the above link to try it!

Share your favorite soup recipe or link to it, Please!

Linked in to:

Winter Storm 2011

Happy New Year & Welcome Old Man Winter!

Georgia is not accustom to this type weather.

This is our driveway down on the Farm.

We have been bundled up inside the house for the most part since Sunday night.

Our transportation has been this:

My daughter bundled up on the 4-wheeler.

We traveled up the road to check out conditions.  A VERY fridgid ride.

Sleet began around 6pm on Sunday for an hour, then huge snowflakes.

Unfortunately, we had more ice than snow, creating a solid sheet of ice over everything.

There was a flurry of activity on the Farm prior to the storm.

A grocery run on Friday.  I've cooked up my easy Chicken Pot Pie and a huge pot of veggie beef soup.

We also moved all vehicles under cover of the garage or barn.

Out at the barn, we turned on heaters for the chickens and in the horse's water.

Once the sleet began, we gathered up our horses to keep them dry.

After the snow, sleet and drizzling rain was over, they were happy to be out.

Hey, a little hay and a lot of crunching on the ice!

They did a bit of romping in the big pasture yesterday and were amusing.

Luckily we have not lost power during all of this.  Which was a huge concern.

They have closed all the schools for the 3rd day now, even the University where I work.

It's just too frozen for humans and animals.

This is our neighbor's cow.  See the icicles hanging on her ears?

GMA reports that the ONLY state withOUT snow is Florida!

Has that ever happened before?!

What are Your snow day activities?

We've been playing SkipBo (a FUN card game recommended by my teen daughter); along with cooking up good food, watching movies, surfing the net, playing on Facebook to see how everyone else's is fairing in the storm and a bit of reading.

I'm looking forward to a New Year of blogging and am working on posts to share! Since the first week back at work was crazy busy and this week has been a mini vacation.

"Fake" Apple Dumplings

These are SUPER Easy and Oh So Yummy!

Yet they taste like you slaved over a hot oven, but there is really not much prep work.

That's why I am calling these FAKE Apple Dumplings. ;-)

Here is what you will need:

2 (8 count) cans crescent rolls

3 or 4 tart apples (I used 3 Granny Smith)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 (12 oz) can of Mountain Dew or Sprite soda

1 - Spray a 13x9 baking dish or pan

2 - Peel and slice apples into 16 pieces

3 - Roll each apple slice in 1 section of the crescent roll

4 - Place rolled slices in pan in two rows, put extras along side.

5 - Melt butter pour over rolls

6 - Mix together sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over rolls

7 - Pour can of soda over all

8 - Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Would be amazing served with vanilla ice cream.  The top bakes crunchy.

Delicious hot, but not bad at room temp either.  So perfect for a gathering or social.

Did I mention easy? ;-)

I baked these up for one of our family Christmas gatherings this past weekend.

It was still very warm when served and received rave reviews from the family taste testers.

This will be my new 'go to' whip out a dessert for dinner or get together.

What are you baking up this week?

I will be sharing this on a few of the great weekly blog link parties, check them out under my blog party tabs (food, crafts, makeovers and more inspiration!).

Menu Monday



I finally made the new chicken roll recipe after changing up the menu for two weeks.

They were delicious with ranch dressing for 'dip' and they reheated well. I had the leftovers for lunch the next day.  Easy and quick.  This recipe would be awesome for a Super Bowl Party.

BBQ Ranch Chicken & Cheddar Rolls 

This week's menu is a repeat of favorites:

Monday ~ Chicken Salad with apple slices

Tuesday ~ Taco Soup

Wednesday ~ Leftover soup

Thursday ~ Crockpot pintos and cornbread with baked sweet potatoes

Friday ~ Leftover pintos with potato salad

Saturday ~ Chicken (probably baked) with veggies



So what's cooking at your house this week??
Need more menu ideas and recipe links?  Check at Organizing Junkie!

Yes, I planned ~ Middle Week Menu

Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken

I'm running behind with posting this week!

The Cream Cheese Chicken (new recipe on last week's menu) was full of flavor and very creamy.  Easy to set up in the morning on a mad dash out the door for work.  Then add the cream cheese while setting the table and cooking up the veggies.  Very filling!  We ate this as leftovers too.  Only kept the creamy chicken and added fresh pasta.

It's Wednesday and I still haven't been grocery shopping, so my plan included items already on hand.  I plan to stop in the grocery store tomorrow in order to pick up the few items I need to finish out the week.  The best thing is I only need 4 ingredients!

Sunday - Breakfast for dinner

Monday - Picked up dinner in town

Tuesday - Crockpot Roast with potatoes and rolls

Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - Ranch Chicken, veggies

Friday - Loaded Baked potatoes

Saturday - BBQ Chicken n Cheddar Pizza Roll 'ems  **new recipe

***NOTE:  I have NO IDEA why there is a pop up sign in on my blog.  I do not use typepad and it's annoying.  I'm working on it.  If anyone has a clue why, please leave me a comment on what to do to fix it.  Ughhh!  Now back to your regularly scheduled blog.  :-)

How is your week going? Did you plan? 

Weekly Menu with Recipe Reviews

Crockpot Apple Cake

Last week's menu was quick and easy all the way.  We decided, at the last minute to attend a Homecoming Football game Friday night, so it was Subway sandwiches, prior to the game.  This week we tossed in a few new recipes to try.  The first one was the Crockpot Apple Cake that I baked up today.  It was good, but not 'outstanding'.  Expected a bit more 'cake' feel and it is more like bread.  Very tasty and simple to make, just wouldn't deem it a 'cake'.  Since it's apple season, if you are interested in trying it, you can find the recipe HERE.  

Sunday - Grilled burgers n hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans and Crockpot Apple Cake

Also, baking up Sausage cheese balls for a quick snack this week.

Monday - Sloppy Joes with Ranch potato wedges

Tuesday - Leftover sloppy joes with chips (I put the sandwiches together after the meal, wrap them with plastic wrap and stick them in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave)

Wednesday - Salmon patties, mashed potatoes, english peas and biscuits

Thursday - Cream cheese Crockpot Chicken  (new recipe) served over noodles with broccoli

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Dinner out

A couple of weeks ago, we tried 3 new Crockpot recipes with delicious results!  Here's the low down:

Kansas City Sue's Chicken cooked up easily, but just didn't deliver the taste I was looking for from the ingredients.  It wasn't 'bad', just ok.  Not sure this recipe will make the menu cut again.

Maple Brown Sugar Ham was to die for!  The glaze and juices were delicious.  The ham fell apart.  This recipe was SO very Yummy, that I volunteered to cook it for our Thanksgiving Dinner.  If you like ham...You.must.try.it!  Do you remember, I said I cooked this up in the Crockpot too?  A great tip, if your ham is too large, just cover with 2 layers of aluminum foil (worked perfect).

Homestyle Beef Stew was another My Kitchen Cafe recipe.  A very hearty and tasty stew. The only thing I will alter next time is peeling the potatoes because the skin was falling off anyway. This is a great recipe for having leftovers.  The flavors actually blend and are more tasty the next day.

What are you cooking up this week?

For more great menu ideas, be sure to hop on over to Organizing Junkie.  I will also be linking in to other tasty food blog parties, check out my links Here.



Cheap-n-Easy....Dinner, that is

Do you have one?

A cheap meal that is quick~n~easy.

This is one of my favorites.
A simple loaded baked potato and steamed broccoli.
You can have this on the table in less than 30 minutes.

These simple ingrediants are staples around my house.
Just pick up some nice size potatoes.
Yes, you could fry up your own fresh bacon, but I cheat.  Shhhh!
Another reason I like this quick fix is that I can cook it all up in the microwave.

Wash the potato, poke it with a fork and pop it in the microwave for about 6 minutes (for one, 8-9 minutes for 2 taters).
As soon as the buzzer goes off, take the potatoes out and wrap in aluminum foil.
They will continue to 'cook' for about 5 minutes longer.
Of course, you can bake them up in the oven, but that takes longer.
On my busy schedule, or after a long day at the office; this fits perfectly.

Top with your favorites.

We use: cheese, sour cream, butter, bacon bits, salt and pepper.

Simple, yummy and filling.
The topping possibilities are endless!  Chili would be a fantastic Fall topping.

Menu for this week is simple, cheap and easy too: 
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Breakfast (including oatmeal!)
Wednesday - Dinner with my daughter
Thursday - Pintos and cornbread
Friday - Leftovers
Saturday - Loaded baked potatoes

For more menu ideas check out Organizing Junkie.

What are YOUR favorite tater toppings?

What's 4 Dinner? Back on Plan

Summer always keeps us busy and I fell off the Menu Planning wagon.

So it's time to hop back on and get with the plan.

What's for dinner this week?

Monday ~ Salmon patties, creamed potatoes, english peas and biscuits

Tuesday ~ Chicken pot pie

Wednesday ~ Leftovers

Thursday ~ Loaded Baked Potatoes

Friday ~ Bourbon Chicken with Rice (new recipe)

Saturday ~ Grilled Honey Mustard Pork Chops (new recipe) with veggies

Sunday ~ Attending a friend's cookout, taking my Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

Menu planning keeps me sane! Seriously.  It takes the 'guess work' out of that dreaded "What's for Dinner?" question every night of the week.  It saves me time:  a the grocery store, because I have a list to shop by and in the evenings after working all day.  Plus it saves me $$$$$$$$$.  I only buy what I need for the week in one stop shopping.  I can't wait to try out some of the new recipes I have found.  If you need a bit of menu inspiration be sure to check out The Organizing Junkie, where literally hundreds link in their weekly menus.

Leftovers! Yes? or No?

Does your family eat leftovers?

I have friends that state they won't eat leftovers.  That it doesn't taste right; this that or the other, reason.

For real?!?

I LOVE leftovers!

Tonight's dinner was leftover pintos.  Just added fresh baked cornbread and tater salad.

There isn't much that we do not eat in the way of leftovers.

Mashed potatoes are not really that great leftover; add a little more milk and butter, they will pass.

Another 'dish' that I have learned to 'doctor' up on reheat is mac n cheese. 

Add little dabs of butter before zapping it in the microwave.

Did I hear a few moans?  ;-)

While there is cornbread in my photo, don't miss out on your chance to win a bag of Bev's Cornbread Mix in my GIVEAWAY this week!  Click HERE and comment.

Do you do leftovers?

Yes or No ?

Is there something you absolutely will not eat left over?

So comment and let me know.

Linking in to several Food Blog parties, find all of them at the top of my blog under Blog Parties.

Menus by the Plan

Menu Planning can be simple or very detailed.

That depends on you.

Above is a photo of my grocery list and an inexpensive menu planner.
Click HERE for a link to printable menu plans.

I prefer a fairly simple method that works for me,

for our life, with a lot of flexibility built in.
A menu plan saves time!
A menu plan saves money. 

By request, I am sharing how I menu plan, along with

some other tips from around the web that may start you on your way

to meal planning in 2010!
Ok so it's mid-January, but it's still the first part of the year. ;-)

Building my menu comes from different sources.
First I check my pantry and frig to see what I have 'on hand', planning meals from those items.
Then I check the Grocery ads.

Many times I will plan around meats that are on sale or simply stock up. I use a lot of boneless chicken because it's easy. Make a list of every ingredient you will need to complete meals. Ever just wander around the grocery store with that glazed over blank look trying to come up with dinner ideas?  I have! But now I can giggle at those with the Deer caught in the headlight expression.  Having a list will save you TONS of time in the grocery store!  And extra trips back to town in the middle of the week for that one item you don't have to complete your meal. I've found planning also saves me money by keeping me out of the stores as often. I keep a running 'what we need' list on the frig. If we run out, we add it to the list.

If you eat leftovers (some people won't) then plan a next day meal from those. My favorite is a boneless pork loin.  I have made several different meals from that one meat in a week. Roasted Pork, shred leftovers for BBQ sandwiches and brunswick stew. Enlist ideas from your family!  The kids loved having their 'favorite' meals added into our menu rotation. Have some fun with it!  Add in Breakfast for dinner, Snack/finger food night, around the world dishes (Mexican, Italian, Chinese nights).  Another favorite at my house is Pizza night.  Usually this happens on the weekend (Friday or Saturdays). This also allows for me to skip my night of cooking (order in).  I've also found some easy and fun pizza variations. Our favorite is Pizza Rolls.

Photo from Cottage Sisters
Everyone gets to build their own from their favorite ingredients. 

But Sherri, menu planning takes too much time!

Maybe the 1st time or two; after that it's 30 minutes or less!
How do I manage it in a short amount of time?
It is now a routine (habit forming).
I keep that running grocery list and just add to it what I need to complete the meals.
I recycle weekly menu plans and use meal ideas from our family favorites master meal list.
I get ideas and inspiration from the web!

Each week there are hundreds of ladies that share their menus, along with recipe links at Organizing Junkie.
Also linking into Works for Me Wednesday over at We are THAT Family, because this REALLY helps our household work easier!

So how about it?  Will you TRY weekly menu planning?
I DARE YOU!
To help you out I will even post my humble master meal list.
Look for it sometime this weekend.
Now GO PLAN!

Bake up a Gift - Yummy Banana Bread

Southern Gals and maybe some of you other gals, enjoy baking up some goodies for friends and neighbors at the holidays.

This is a super easy moist EASY (oh wait, I said that already) Banana Bread, already taste tested by family and friends.  Looks pretty on a Dollar Tree 'fake' glass tray or 'fake' silver.  Wrap it up with cellophane, tie with a pretty ribbon, instant yummy gift!  You can bake a full loaf or use the small loaf pans for individual scrumptious goodies. 

Want the recipe?

Here is what you need:

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup) **I use 1 cup
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden plastic spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.

Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered (I sprayed with Pam) 4x8 inch loaf pan.

 Bake for 1 hour. **I check it at 50 minutes. Cool in pan at least 10 minutes, then remove.

I found the cutest food tray wraps (3 to a package) last year at the Dollar Tree.

Ignore ugly wallpaper in background, which has since been re-done!

I hope you enjoy the recipe!  I found it HERE.
For other holiday treat ideas, check out Modern Country's Holiday Treat Party.
For more foodie goodness, hop on over to Designs by Gollum's Foodie Friday.